GELORA ALPHONSE

Participant Support and Community Engagement Advocacy, Empowerment, & Lived Experience. Leadership, Team Support, and Community Representation. Systems Knowledge and Technical Skills

In my role as a Local Area Coordinator (LAC), including stepping into the Acting Senior LAC role regularly, I provide high-quality support to participants, colleagues, and the broader community. I have a strong capability in mentoring, staff support, representing Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS) at community events, and delivering information sessions and presentations, in addition to comprehensive day-to-day LAC responsibilities.

I have a strong understanding of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), including policies, procedures, eligibility and access requirements, reasonable and necessary criteria, risk considerations, and best-practice participant engagement. I conduct participant meetings with a focus on safety, empowerment, trauma-informed practice, and person-centered principles.

• Supporting people with disabilities to connect with mainstream, community, and informal supports that promote inclusion and independence.
• Assisting participants and their informal support networks to plan, organize, and implement supports aligned with their strengths, skills, interests, and life goals.
• Helping participants identify and achieve positive outcomes, community connections, and long-term well-being.
• Demonstrated experience supporting people with disabilities, including individuals from First Nations, CALD, and LGBTIQA+ communities, using culturally sensitive and intersectional approaches.
• Recognizing the natural authority of people with disabilities and their informal supports as leaders, decision-makers, and advocates in their own lives.
• Promoting self-direction, self-management, and self-advocacy through coaching, clear communication, and accessible information.
• Acting in the Acting Senior LAC role, providing leadership, guidance, and operational support during high-demand periods.
• Experience mentoring new staff, supporting professional development, and building team capability.
• Conducting debriefing sessions with staff, and assisting with critical incident reporting to ensure safety, compliance, and reflective practice.
• Representing LCHS at community events, fostering partnerships, and contributing to local community projects.
• Confident in delivering virtual and in-person presentations, information sessions, and training workshops.
• Proficient in SAP/CRM, PACE, and internal systems used for documentation, reporting, and compliance.

Currently undertaking a supervised pastoral care placement as part of the Certificate IV in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care.

• Currently undertaking a supervised pastoral care placement as part of the Certificate IV in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care.
• Spiritual assessment: Conducting person-centered spiritual assessments to identify patients' beliefs, values, sources of hope, spiritual distress, and support needs, and incorporating these insights into individual care plans.
• Emotional and spiritual support: Creating a safe and supportive environment for patients and families to explore their experiences, discover meaning, and cope with illness, diagnosis, injury, or disability.
• Counselling: Providing compassionate support during grief and loss, including end-of-life care, miscarriage, and terminal illness.
• Spiritual and religious care: Assisting patients in accessing religious rites, blessings, and prayer, and coordinating visits from faith community representatives upon request.
• Advocacy: Supporting patients' ethical, cultural, spiritual, and religious needs within the healthcare setting.
• Bereavement support: Delivering comprehensive bereavement support to families and caregivers.
• Facilitating access to reflective spaces: Assisting patients and families in accessing the chapel and other quiet spaces for reflection.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration: Working with multidisciplinary clinical teams to contribute to holistic patient care and treatment planning.
• Documentation: Monitoring and documenting pastoral interactions and patient progress in electronic health records, in line with organizational requirements.

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of various funding bodies – National Disability Insurance Scheme, Work Safety Australia, other government, and private funding sector including context, principles, policies, regulations and legislation, knowledge of current trends and developments in health industry.
• Developing a business development strategy focused on financial gain.
• Arranging business development meetings with prospective clients.
• Contacting potential clients to establish rapport and arrange meetings.
• Planning and overseeing new marketing initiatives.
• Researching organizations and individuals to find new opportunities.
• Increasing the value of current customers while attracting new ones.
• Finding and developing new markets and improving sales.
• Attending conferences, meetings, and industry events.
• Developing quotes and proposals for clients.
• Developing goals for the development team and business growth and ensuring they are met.
• Establish record keeping and monitoring systems to assure program quality.
• Provide trustworthy feedback and after-sales support.
• Build long-term relationships with new and existing clients.
• Work closely with a business accountant.
• Training personnel and helping team members develop their skills.
• Great understanding and managing Supported Independent Living (SIL), Short Term Accommodation and respite supports.
• Led multi-disciplinary team to deliver disability services on schedule, within budget and to the satisfaction of the client.

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of various funding bodies - TAC, NDIS, WSA, iCare & private funding sector including context, principles, policies, regulations and legislation, knowledge of current trends and developments in the health industry.
• An ongoing responsibility for a different group of clients, ensuring their current and ongoing needs remain as a key focus.
• Develop, implement, and monitor consumer-directed care plans in collaboration with the client and other key stakeholders.
• Works as a part of a team to ensure that consumers across TAC, NDIS, WSA, iCare & private funded program are provided with quality services and develop effective working relations and cooperate with allied health professionals and other mainstream supports.
• Promotes teamwork and collaboration and fosters productive working relationships and team building.
• Proving unlimited support and mentoring care consultant team, a large team of care workers to ensure the provision of high-quality services to consumers, that assist them to stay safely at home and within the community.
• Handle case assignments, draft service plans, review case progress, and determine case closure by continually gathering and document relevant information about clients from other services for the development of evidence-based reports and updates.
• Ensure that Occupational Health and Safety policy, procedures, and legislative requirements are met.

• I stated my carrier as a Support Worker (Casual Dec 2015 – June 2017).
• I’ve successfully completed 2 placements as Aged Care Case Manager on May 2016 to July 2016 (200hours) with home care department as well as Pastoral Care Worker on March 2017 to May 2017 (200hours) with Sacred Heart Mission collaboration with the Parish Chaplaincy Team of Sacred Heart & St. Columba.
• I was offered and accepted for the NDIS Support Coordinator Full Time Position on Jun 2018.
• Excellent Understanding of the Disability Act 2006 and understanding of the policies and procedures generally associated with the provision of Disability Support Services within different levels of Support Coordination including Support Connection, Coordination of Supports and Plan Management and demonstrating accordingly.
• High level knowledge and skills in coordination of supports to assist people with a disability living in community, psychogeriatric units and correction centres.
• Experience in undertaking assessments, care planning and care coordination activities required to meet the diverse needs of the clients in accordance with both the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the Consumer Directed Care standards and guidelines.
• Handle case assignments, draft service plans, review case progress and determine case closure by continually gathering and document relevant information about clients from other services for the development of evidence-based reports and updates.
• Assist clients make informed decisions regarding their clinical status and treatment options and develop effective working relations and cooperate with allied health professionals and other mainstream supports throughout the entire case coordination process.
• Take the extra mile and interact with clients to keep track of their progress and to ensure satisfaction and work within the funding levels associated with each client (continually track and monitor billable hours).
• Identify potential crisis situations and proactively manage and coordinate with minimal support from superior.
• Coordinate and provide care that is safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and client centred.
• Promote quality and cost-effective interventions and outcomes (SMART).
• Assess and address motivational and psychosocial issues.
• Adhere to professional standards as outlined by protocols, rules and regulations accordance with NDIS and SHM’s Vision, Mission & Values statement.
• Provide regular, high quality professional supervision for support staff, including opportunities for reflective practice and timely debriefing.
• Managing recruitment, orientation and ongoing training for staff as required.
• Ensure that Occupational Health and Safety policy, procedures and legislative requirements are met.

• Managed and supervised the day-to-day operations while the manager on leave or away.
• Provide in home high standard services and assistance to adults, including people with disability such as multiple sclerosis, dementia, and healthy people with an acquired brain injury or an intellectual disability.

• Provide in home high standard services and assistance to people of all ages and abilities, including people with disability such as multiple sclerosis or dementia, and healthy people with an acquired brain injury or an intellectual disability.
• I am especially experienced in such provision to children and youth with Autism, Down Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome.

• Basic restaurant operations, Problem solving & analysis, Customer relations, Leadership/ Empowerment, Management of profit & controllable, Recruitment, Selection & retention of staff, Knowledge of Employment Act & Employee benefits, Equipment maintenance, Product inventory & ordering, People management, Marketing & sales building, and Administrative duties.

• Trained, and employed to Women Prison escorting duties, the girls’ home warden, Institute of Mental Health Warden, Security screening at Supreme court, high court and magistrates as well as engaged in General Work (armed and close escort, security, traffic control, weapon handling, administrative & SOP - screening).

• Attached to Assembly Process Section of Engineering / Development Department. Handling new code prove in & Engineering work request for any potential production.